US Trying To Reverse Re-Development Aid Corruption In Afghanistan

[Turborama]

Run time: 02:54 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Luz2NQFcs04   Posted on YouTube: December 30, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: December 30, 2009 By DU Member: Turborama Views on DU: 769

 
The US government plans to spend more than $10bn in Afghanistan next year on non-military aid.

But much of that will be wasted or swallowed by corruption, unless new efforts to tighten the contracting process succeed, US government-appointed auditors say.

Since 2001, Washington has spent around $40bn on reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan.

Almost one-third of the funds have been directed at economic and social development projects. The rest has gone to improving governance, rule of law, human rights and countering narcotics.

But as Kimberly Halkett reports, US government watchdog groups face big challenges in making sure that aid money is spent as intended.

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http://www.historycommons.org/timeline.jsp?timeline=afghanwar_tmln&afghanwar_tmln_us_invasion__occupation=afghanwar_tmln_economic_reconstruction">Excellent timeline from 2001 onwards that shows how false promises of economic redevelopment have led us to where we are today

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From prior to the invasion...

Biden to propose reconstruction if Afghanistan attacked

October 3, 2001 Posted: 6:38 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Joseph Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is expected to propose legislation for a long-term reconstruction and development plan in Central and South Asia following any military campaign against Afghanistan, an aide to the senator told CNN on Wednesday.

The senator will propose the plan, similar in nature to the Marshall Plan's reconstruction of Europe after World War II, in an effort to create an economic and social climate in which terrorists will not be able to operate, the aide said.

The aide said the initiative would cover Afghanistan and the Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, as well as Pakistan. "It is about draining the swamp," he said. "(Biden) is looking ahead, thinking strategically about what comes next for the region."

Biden hinted at the initiative -- which he is expected to announce on the Senate floor Wednesday night -- after a luncheon at the State Department with Secretary of State Colin Powell and other members of the committee.

"We discussed...in broad strokes, the aid that's already going to help the Afghan people," Biden said about the talks with Powell, adding that they addressed "the need to put together a broader coalition, probably under the mandate of the United Nations, but with our strong support of follow-on after this undertaking to take out Mr. bin Laden and his associates happens. Its important that we not only demonstrate that we are able to take down Mr. bin Laden and Al Qaeda, but that this is not about Islam," Biden said. "This is not about Muslims. This is not a war on anyone other than al Qaeda and those who support and sustain the undertakings of al Qaeda and Mr. bin Laden."

More: http://archives.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/10/03/ret.biden.afghanistan/index.html

Has anyone got a link to the actual speech he was going to make? I've tried to find it but haven't had any luck.

[Hulk]

1. Ah...those blood thirsty contractors.

Let's just drop dollar bills from the air, and let THEM rebuild their country. This is so assinine. We know Blackwater, Halliburton and others have been stealing from us. Now, we have a black hole that nobody can trace where we dump our bundles of twenties and hundreds.

And the repukes want to cut taxes as an answer to this problem too, I'm sure.

[C_Lawyer09]

2. FYI, The Lexicon is much broader than the favorites

Blackwater and Halliburton. Try USAID.

[Turborama]

3. That "black hole" has been in existence for 8 corrupt Bushco years

That's why their trying to fix it, as stated in the video.

[JDPriestly]

4. Wow! This could lead to indictments.

Some of the money went out of Afghanistan. Where do you suppose it went? Could some of it have ended up here in the U.S.? Just asking. Just a wild guess.

[Vermontgrown]

5. More government officials

chasing down ghost, such as it is in government. These guys will get paid big bucks to shutup and nothing will come of it. Corruption exists at all levels of our government. Nothing will get done there, and these over paid assholes will sleep good at night knowing they did a lousy job.

[Turborama]

6. That might have been true under Busch's totally corrupt administration

But I have a strong feeling that they're not going to be able to get away with it any more. Obama's Presidency is now reliant on sorting out this shitstorm (and all the others) left behind by Bush/Cheney Inc.